DIPLOMAGACY : Morgan State University Professor Launches a New Concept Characterizing President Trump's Withdrawal Diplomacy During a Forum at the United Nations

BALTIMORE, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of the United Nations 80^th Anniversary, the Berlin-based Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD) organized a Forum on Cultural Diplomacy in the United Nations on the theme, "80 Years of the United Nations Advancing Cultural Diplomacy for Peace, Development, and Human Rights." As a new member of the United Nations Association-National Capital Area (UNA-NCA), Professor Gbotokuma decided to enhance his love affair with and support of the troubled international body. To this end, he coined a neologism called, 'Diplomagacy.' He launched it via a paper titled, "DIPLOMAGACY:  Reflections on Trump's Imperial Design and Isolationism Through Tariffs and Withdrawal from International Organizations." He presented it at the ICD Forum at the Permanent Mission of the Principality of Monaco to the UN on October 8, 2026.

Diplomagacy in a Nutshell

For 80 years, the U.S. has been known as "the cradle of modern democracy" and "leader of the free world." It has played a crucial role in the genesis and evolution of the UN from La Société des Nations in 1920 to the San Francisco Conference or the UN Conference on International Organization that established the UN Charter in 1945. The U.S. is one of the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council with Veto Power. The UN Headquarters is located in Manhattan, New York. Unfortunately, the Trump administration and its hostility toward the UN have caused the loss/diminution of the U.S. global leadership status. The main argument of 'Diplomagacy' is that President Trump's second term, or Trump 2.0 has confirmed and acted on the true meanings of "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) and "America First" as 'America Alone.' Trump has exacerbated his hostility towards the UN and the U.S. European allies. His antagonism toward the prevailing world order has reached its apogée via his 'withdrawal diplomacy.' This is an integral part of what Prof. Gbotokuma calls 'DiploMAGAcy,' or diplomacy à la MAGA, i.e., Trump Diplomacy. Trump has carried out this diplomacy by withdrawing the U.S. from 66 international organizations, 31 of which are UN-related entities; waging an indiscriminate trade war (tariffs) on many countries, including Canada; establishing the so-called "Board of Peace" to upend the UN and recreate the world in his image and likeness. Diplomagacy is apparent in Trump's commitment to replacing the internationally negotiated Obama-era Iran Nuclear Deal with his "Operation Epic Fury," or, the unlawful and unpopular war in Iran. The Operation is used to achieve Trump's 'imperial design' and 'neo-royalism.' To this end, Trump has relied on Presidential Maximalism or the Project 2025-based autocracy, the 2025 National Security Strategy, and the 'Donroe doctrine.' This is "a 2025-2026 foreign policy framework asserting U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere to counter foreign influence, particularly from China, Russia, and Iran".

In conclusion, Diplomagacy does not "Make America Great Again." Au contraire, it signals "the end of an American-led world order" (PM M. Carney), because it is a divisive, isolationist, unilateralist, unconventional, and "spheres of influence" diplomacy that violates international law via the might is right logic. It makes America violent, small, lonely, greedy, and disdainful. It is threat to the global security, peace, democracy, and development. Consequently, it is an obstacle to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals that require global partnerships.

Trump believes that his actions are justified by a mandate from his presidential election victory in 2024. However, most Americans are disapproving his job performance. The best way to stop Diplomagacy from turning the world upside down is by restoring the U.S. democracy through free, fair, and 'blue wave-midterm elections 2026.

DR. GBOTOKUMA is a Full Professor of Philosophy at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland (USA). He is the founder of Polyglots in Action for Diversity, Inc. He has earned numerous international accolades, the most recent of which are the LIFETIME CONTRIBUTION TO PHILOSOPHY AND INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING AWARD (the University of Oxford 2026) and AFRO's WHO'S WHO IN BLACK BALTIMORE 2025. His most recent publication is the award-winning book, OBAMANOMICS AND FRANCISCONOMICS (2022).

CONTACT: Zekeh Gbotokuma, [email protected], 443-622-3033

SOURCE Zekeh Gbotokuma